Saudi Arabia shuts down websites violating Fatwa orders

Sep 07, 2010 |

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Authorities in Saudi Arabia have shut down three websites for violating a Royal decree limiting the issuance of religious edicts (Fatwa) to the kingdom's most senior group of clerics. Saudi telecom regulator, the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), has drawn up a list of clerics whose services break the decree, and that they have been sent messages "warning them to comply". Among those breaking the ban are clerics who offer fatwas through text messages, some for as much as $3 per message, CITC official Saad Al-Shihri told Saudi Gazette. Regulators have already started barring such services. Sultan Al-Malik, CITC spokesman, told the newspaper that the regulator would block any website that violates the country's regulations. The three website that have been reportedly blocked include the one belonging to a famous Syrian cleric, Mohammad Al-Munajid, and the Al-Qadhi website. Other famous Islamic website like Islam Today, supervised by Shaikh Salman Al-Audah, removed its Fatwa services soon after Al-Munajid's website was blocked. Last month, Saudi King Abdullah decreed that only the powerful government-sanctioned Council of Senior Islamic Scholars could issue fatwas.

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